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If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Hebrews Chapter 13.  I want to tell you in advance.  I'm sure you have already appreciated it already, ah as we look at the verses the sermon today will not be an easy one.  Ah it might be heavy going in a sense, it is complex, it might be heavy going, also in its theme that is something really challenging and solemn. So I just want to say right up front, this is going to be a heavy going sermon, you can help one another, pinch one another, keep one another awake, that would be great alright but let me start with a simple story.

Ah one two weeks ago, I was studying the Bible with my son.  He was reading the Bible and so I asked him, “what are you reading?” he says “I'm reading about the story of the gardener”.  I said, “what is the story of the gardener?” So he showed me the passage, oh, it's really about the parable of the sower, huh anyway I asked, “Shawn, do you understand what this story is all about?”  He says “no.”  I said “alright, let me try to help you.”  I took a piece of paper and I demonstrated my extremely good artistic skills, ha..ah..huh and I drew the farmer. So I drew this farmer, who went with this, maybe a bucket of seeds to go and sow.  So I said “this farmer went to sow some seeds and do you think every seed will become a tree that bears fruit?”  He says, “I don't know.”  “OK” I said, “don't worry this is what the Bible says.”

The Bible says this farmer went to sow and the seeds fell upon four kinds of ground, and I drew it with my extremely good artistic skills. Huh, ah, there are four kinds of grounds and you have, first of all, the hard ground where there are lots of rocks, then you have the shallow ground, where there's a thin layer of soil, you have the cluttered ground where there are lots of weeds and thorns and then there is the ground with good soil.  I said to him, “out of all four types of ground, only one, only one really gave rise to crops that lasted and which produced fruit.”  I asked him, “Shawn, do you understand what this means?”  He says “no” I say “these grounds represent our hearts, the seed represent the Word of God and when the Word of God is shared, many people were here, but the response to the Word of God is very different. It is dependent on how our heart is, the condition of our heart” and I say “the true follower of Jesus Christ is the one who will have lasting effect in his life, the one whose life bears forth fruit.”  So, I said, “Shawn, the true disciple of Jesus, a Christian is someone who will be fruitful and who will be faithful to the end. The other kinds, they have, they hear the Word of God, but they do not have crops or their crops do not last. So Shawn, would you believe Jesus right up to the end?”

That's the question I want to ask you this morning, would you believe Jesus right to the end? You know when you're on your death bed that is the most important question to answer. It's not how much stocks you have, what is the car you drive or the kind of dress or shoes you have worn in your life.  It's this question - do you believe in Jesus right up to the end? This is the question apostle Paul answered. He says that the time of my departure has come, but this is what I rejoice in - I have fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I have kept the faith.  So this is a very solemn message, because my question to you is, do you still believe in Jesus and would you still believe in Jesus on the day you die?  Would you be faithful to the finish?  This journey, we are on is not an easy one. The Christian journey is not a tour trip that we go around enjoying the sights and scenes and almost assume that we will arrive at the destination, no it's a difficult journey.

So this morning we're going to look at what it takes to be faithful to the finish. The Bible here warns us that this journey is going be fraud with dangers and difficulties. You say what kind of dangers in a Christian life, what kind of danger would there be for me?  Well, there are some dangers that will lead you away from the right path. You say what would lead me away from the right path. Well, it will be false teachings, because that's what he says, do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings.  The author here uses the word diverse - it means various or many. You know, false teachings can come in all shapes and sizes.  Many false teachings in the New Testament times you would hear of the false teachings of legalism and Gnosticism, it's found in Galatians, it's found in the book of 1st John, there are all kinds of false teachings and of course, they are not limited to that, because throughout church history, many kinds of false teachers and false teachings arise.

I was in China several years ago and when I was in this place called Henan, well known to be a center for Christianity actually there, the church leaders tell me that in that city though they are well known for the Christian faith, there are also many many false teachers. They say in China, I'm I'm speaking in Chinese, I'll interpret it in a while, they say in China (yi duan xiang niu sai, zhen de jiao hui xiang niu jiao) say what in the world is that? He says false teachings and false teachers are like the fleas on the bull and the true preachers and the true church, are like the two horns on the bull. So it's a numerical comparison, true churches, very few just two, very few, false teachers, like fleas in abundance and the world we live in today we experience all kinds of false teachings as well. You might be familiar with the prosperity gospel, the word of faith movement, extreme grace, fake signs and wonders, legalism still exist by the way, all kinds of cults are around us. So the Christian journey is not an easy one where it's a plain simple road, but there are lots of temptations and booby-traps, diverse and strange teachings. The word strange here, you might think is the word weird, but it's not, huh, false teachings are generally I would say to you not really weird, because if it's weird, you wouldn't want to go near. A lot of the false teachings the good ones are the ones that do not appear weird. They appear very natural, you actually like it. So the word here strange is not weird but foreign that's what it is, elsewhere it's clarified that this refers to teachings that are contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught. This is foreign to the body of truth, you have heard, so that will be a false teaching. So the Bible says do not be led away because there are booby-traps. False teachings can be very tempting, very alluring that you you just keep listening to it and before you know it, you're led astray. You're out of the path.

Now to help illustrate that let me point you to the latest craze in the world today, Pokémon Go.  You all all laugh, because you play is it? no, no all wah wah no, no, no, so scared that you are accused.  Ah well for what I confess I don't have it all right, and I don't want to have this, this might distract my life, but there are lots of people today who play Pokémon go, I'm not sure what it means except that it is so addictive. It is said that two Canadian teens were so absorbed in their game that they inadvertently left the country. So they were playing in Canada and they walked and they walked and they followed the Pokémon or chased the Pokémon until they crossed the border into America and they didn't even know it. They were going on their way of life but with this game, they get off tracked.  Uh not just Canadians, British people too distracted players, such as the ones shown in London shown above in London, have been reported to wander into landmines and over cliffs among other near disaster. I thought to myself, this is a classic illustration for false teachings, huh it's so addictive, wah believe Jesus got lots of money, wah believe Jesus means everything in life is so good. I will follow this and before you know it you've wandered from the true path and you will plunge yourself into near disasters or actual disasters.

So the Bible tells us this will be what false teachings and false teachers do to us and this is what people like by the way.  It's not strange in the sense of weird, it's actually what people want in the flesh. For the time is coming, this is written, like 2000 years ago, I think it has come when people will not endure sound teachings. You know preaching in the bible, preaching the Bible in the church is now seen as a boring thing. Don't preach the Bible, you can go for Bible study, they say, just preach to us helpful messages people will not endure sound teaching.  Instead of having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. So false teaching is very alluring it's what they want, it's not weird, it's what they want in the flesh, and will therefore now turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  They can absolutely believe now the myths.  It's contrary to the doctrine of the Bible, but it doesn't matter. I like it so much, I just want to hear more of it and soon I'm distracted from the true path.

The prosperity gospel is a classic distortion of biblical gospel, classic. It is even given the name gospel, good news, but it is anything but it promises people health and wealth, when you believe in Jesus, that's what it is. If you accept Jesus as your Savior, your life will be one of health, wealth and prosperity and the preacher preaches it and everybody rejoices in it. So you see lots of people going to churches, they celebrate Jesus, but they are actually celebrate the fact that I'm going to have health, wealth and prosperity from this Jesus.  Love to hear this and therefore, preachers love to preach this. I mean it's natural right, whatever works just do it, get the people in. What's the problem?   Problem is this.  The problem is that this is not what God says.  This is what wolves in sheep's clothing. Tell you, he he he he umchio (hokkien dialect : to stifle a smile or a hidden smile) there, you guys didn't know I'm luring you in so that I can eat you for breakfast. The Bible says, these are ravenous wolves, wolves in sheep's clothing. So the devil is extremely clever. He knows that Christians today are walking this pilgrims path towards God, but he's not going to let you go that easily, he is going to put booby-traps all around, he's going to give you all kinds of distractions, he is going to appeal to ears, itchy ears so that he may lure you away that you may wonder into myths and you will not be faithful to the finish. You've got to be aware of this.  This is a spiritual battle that's happening. You don't assume that just by sitting here, you are going to get to heaven, to Christ, just like that do you?  There is a real war a truth war that is raging all around us.

Well, associated with a prosperity gospel is the word of faith movement. It's very close, why, because the word of faith movement is saying, if I just confess that I have faith then God will give me health and wealth, he will give it to me.  In other words, it's trying to command the blessings, the health and wealth with the mere confession of your word, word of faith to believe that God is somehow, obliged to do what I say when I say it in faith.  It's a terrible thing.  It's reducing God to become like the genie in Aladdin's lamp. God is not your servant, faith is not demanding God to do what I want to do, but faith is believing and obeying to do what God wants me to do.  We've gotten it the whole way wrong, but that's what the world and the church is preaching today, do you know that?   It's a very subtle but pervasive problem. God will heal me if I say, God will heal me, God will heal me. Wow! there's a difference between faith and presumption.  The word of faith movement is a dangerous lie.

It started really with Kenneth Hagins some years ago, he's since passed away, but he says or his this false teaching essentially says, I believe I'm attracting wealth and prosperity and God will give it to me, that's what it is, it's linking health and wealth with a positive confession believing, superstitiously that your words have power. In fact, they bring it so far as to say, just as God created the world with his words, the Christian commands blessings with his words, you can read up on this. It's easily found, but today we have all kinds of people who follow this track of thoughts and it's very subtle.  Joel Osteen, we have mentioned him several times in this church, you can change your world by changing your words, your words, change things then he misquotes from Proverbs. Remember death and life are in the power of the tongue.  Wow! your tongue got power like God.  I have money means God will give me money. Really? but that's what people love to hear and that's what leads people astray.   Joseph Prince says the same thing when you speak God's word over your situation, power is released (see John 15:7). Misquote, wrong application, but still he puts it there, your miracle is in your mouth, just say it and you'll have it.  Now you wonder why hordes of people would want to listen to this. I am not surprised.  Lots of people would love this, don't you think?

Well another dangerous myth, dangerous lie today is what we call hyper grace or extreme grace. It's a relatively new thing. Satan is always very creatively are forming new false teachings to lead people astray.  Hyper grace what is this? Well it's simply thinking that God forgives us so much that he would never remind us of our sins and we can just live free.  Joseph Prince tells us the bottom line is that the Holy Spirit never convicts you of your sins.  He never comes to point out your faults.  Now you can imagine the power of what he's teaching here.  Absolutely tempting, God come to Jesus, why health, wealth, prosperity. Come to Jesus, why, because when you speak miracles do happen.  Come to Jesus why, because he will never tell you, you have sin, he loves you too much. When you add these ingredients together you have a combustible explosive potion folks.  It is a powerful thing and to the ear that has not been touched by grace, oh this sounds almost too good to be true, and it is. It's not what it's found in the Bible.

So remember this, in a Christian journey, there will be lots of booby-traps, there'll be lots of Pokémon gos, there'll be lots of alluring sirens that will cry out to you so that you will not complete the odyssey.  Be careful about wandering off into myths and the Bible says do not be led away by strange diverse teachings, but this journey is difficult, not just because of these booby-traps, this journey is difficult, because this journey is one where you're called to bear shame and reproach. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp. You know, Jesus died outside Jerusalem.  Calvary was outside shamefully brought out and nailed to the cross and so this journey of faith is to be the journey Jesus was on, a journey of shame, a journey of reproach.  The Christian life is not one of popularity and fame and success the way the world defines it.  It's very clear.  It's about reproach and shame.  If you today sign up to be a follower of Jesus, I say to you banish those desires to be rich and powerful and successful, that's not what Jesus calls you to do. He calls you to follow Him. He calls you to follow the path of suffering and shame.  That's why people find it hard.  This morning as we before the first service, a brother here was saying he was studying the Bible and he says wow it seems like following Jesus has a high price to pay I say you are absolutely right brother.  I just want to clarify that you don't pay that price to earn salvation, no, salvation is given not never earn by myself. But it does mean that if you believe in Jesus and follow Him, there's a price to pay you have to give up yourself, you've to die to yourself and you have to take up the Cross. So this journey is not an easy one, instead of the health and wealth, hocus-pocus, the Bible says do not be surprised that the world hates you. The Bible says do not be surprised at the fiery trial that comes upon you so the Christian life is difficult. I say this again and again, it's hard, it's difficult because the world is against us. Just like the world was against Jesus and in this life, you have many trials, but that's what it means to be a follower.

Spurgeon, he said a sorry life your master had, you see.  You said Jesus had a sorry life difficult, painful life, all the filth in earth's kennels were thrown at him by sacrilegious hands, he was the song of the drunkard, and they that sat in the gate spoke against him. This was the reproach of Christ and we're not to marvel if we bear as much.  Well says one, I will not be a Christian, if I am to bear that.  Skulk back then you coward, to your own damnation but oh! Men that love God and who seek after the eternal reward, I pray you do not shrink from this cross, you must bear it.  Ah  this is not easy. This journey to be faithful to the finish, is fraud with booby-traps of false teachings and it is a way of suffering and shame.  Hey but be encouraged, because the author also tells us, you're not alone there are many people who have gone this way and they successfully completed the course. So the author points us to the success stories remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Look at them they did do it, they finished the course.

Now this probably refers to leaders who have already died.  Later on, it will refer to leaders was still alive. But here it refers to leaders who have already died. He says look at the way they lived.  They spoke to you the word of God, they kept to the truth, they did not depart from the truth, they were not lured by the false teachings, they remain resolute in the face of suffering and shame, imitate their faith.  Say how can I do it says if they could do it, so can you, you say why, because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I think the implication here or the significance of this verse is to say that Jesus who sustained them yesterday is the same Jesus who will sustain you today and forever.

In other words in this Christian race, if you want to stay faithful to the finish, don't look to yourself.  Look to Christ. He's the one who sustains us.  When you read this verse, you can't help but think that this is an echo from Hebrews 12 where it says, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, remember your leaders, remember your fathers of the faith well similar, we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. The Moses the Abraham the Noahs let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder the author and finisher or the perfecter of our faith.  In other words, as you run this race, you are reminded that many have run before, but your trust your dependence is on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith.

It's very encouraging as I was studying this to be reminded in Hebrews 7, it is said that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him.  It's not you save yourself but He is able to save to the uttermost right to the end. No one is too sinful for Christ to save no one is too weak for Christ to save. He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God, through Him.   Say why, how does He save us? Well because He always live to make intercession for us.   You see we are kept in faith, by the power of God and by the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1st Peter tells us, we're kept by the power of God unto salvation to be revealed. Jesus tells us no one is strong enough to pluck us from the father's hand and Jesus is praying exactly for that, that we will be saved to the uttermost that will be kept faithful to the finish.

You know last week, Ee Kwang was leading us in worship and just before he sang the song or led us in the song complete, he was mentioning about how he himself has been to this place where there is despair and despondence?  Will he be faithful to the finish the question in his mind? Will I give it up, will I fail?  And then he shared about Peter the apostle, let me let him speak to you, I'm not going to ask him on stage but we got the clip of that in audio so just take a listen would you? “I've been there and I think if you've been a Christian long enough, and if you run the race long enough, you find yourself in the place where you're downtrodden, when you're in the pit of despair and the enemy wants you to stay there, Peter found himself that place remember Peter, the apostle Peter found himself in the place after denying the Lord three times. Jesus says to Peter and I think this is the most encouraging words that Peter has probably heard up to this point in time. He says to Peter, “Peter, when you are young, you went where you wanted to go. You did what you wanted to do. But when you are old someone else would come and gird you, someone else to take you by the hand and he will take you where you don't want to go”.  Scripture ends by saying “and by this way, Christ described the death that Peter would glorify him. I think this has application to us because I think this says to me that Peter is going to end his race well that he wasn't going to fall again, that Peter was going to run this race and he would end it, glorify the Lord Jesus Christ”. Are you concerned about your race, my friends, are you concerned about ending that race well. I am, I am terrified that I won't end the race well because I want to glorify my God”.

Peter was encouraged, Ee Kwang's perspective of it was interesting, was great, Peter must have been encouraged to know that he will keep the faith right up to the end, even to the point of death. How is Jesus to know that? Now Jesus didn't just know that, Jesus prayed for that! I think the key was that in Luke 22, we are told, Jesus said this to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, look at this Simon, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sieve you like wheat”. This is a scene from heaven, let me say this, Satan probably came out to God, like how he came up before God in Job's time, “let me have this man”. Why, I want to sieve him like wheat.  What's sifting?  It's it's getting this this sieve as it were you push something through it, so that it can filter out what you do not want. Satan says I want to get this man, Peter. I want to push him through the sieve and I want to sieve out every single bit of faith in Peter. I want to grab Peter's life and devour him spiritually. I demand of Peter that I may sieve him like wheat. Oh when Satan wants to do that, you know it's powerful. Jesus said these beautiful words, “but Peter, I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail and look at this confidence and when you have turned, not if you turn aiya …I hope you'll turn la Peter “tolong tolong” (malay = please please)
please turn, no, no, no, I have prayed for you and I know it works. I know the Father will hold you and even if Satan sieves you like wheat, you will still believe and so when you do turn, remember your brothers, strengthened them.

You know that's the power of the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ, it always works.  We're kept by the power of God through the prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ and so even if Satan is to sieve Peter and try to squeeze out as much as he can, Peter may stumble, which he did by denying the Lord three times. Peter will not utterly fall, because that's the power of Christ's prayer and that's why we hold on. We hold on, because we know our savior holds on to us, and will never fail us, is able to save to the uttermost because He always lives, to make intercession for us, and what about this when we read in Hebrews 13, I would never leave you nor forsake you, the Lord is my helper.  Remember the song that you sang this morning, how firm a foundation?  No, He will never, no never, no never forsake, that's what it is.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. So that's what is the significance of verse 8 that the leaders in the past have done it, why? Because Jesus sustained them, so today, the same Jesus is going to sustain you, keep your eyes on Him, draw near to God through Him and He is able to save you to the uttermost.

You say, Pastor, but what if I sin against God. Some of you are struggling in your life because you are repeatedly sinning against God. And you say wow this is terrible, my heart is guilty, I'm fearful I'm shameful, my heart is troubled, what do I do?  Oh if your heart is troubled then the author says to you let your heart be strengthened. The word strengthened here is the word to be established, to be confirmed, to be made sure, let your heart be sure, let your heart be stabilized that's what it is. Don't let your heart be troubled, have rest, have peace, have confidence, have poise, why? Let your heart be strengthened, by grace, you sin over and over and over and over and over again but that is the grace that comes from the new covenant, the grace that flows from the cross of Jesus Christ. Don't you know that the grace of God is greater than all your sin, even if it is to be repeated over and over and over and over again?

This is the amazing thing about Jesus.  Orr what he has done for you so be strengthened by grace, not by foods, you say why suddenly food, because to the old covenant Jewish followers, they believe that they can earn favor by eating the right things and not eating the wrong things.  By their religious observance of laws, now that would never let your heart be established because you never know whether you are good enough, so you say don't look to these old covenant rites and rituals to justify yourself.  Look to the grace of Jesus and that's why in verses 10 to 12, he talks about this altar that Christians can eat in or eat from.  Now we can't go back to the old covenant altar where the animals are burnt and eat those things to justify ourselves, we don't and neither do we need to.  Huh because now we go to the altar of Jesus Christ when he died for us and now we can feast in the gospel, feast in the good news because he died, shed his blood to sanctify us, to cleanse us so now, let your heart be strengthened, stabilized, make sure by grace, drink in the gospel, feast at the gospel table, remind yourself of the amazing grace of God that even if you sin over and over and over again that you still you feel so bad about yourself that you feel that you can't even forgive yourself, there is the grace that is greater than all our sins.  That's what keeps you going because there is this cleansing blood that follows you.  There's this rock that follow us steps gushes with the refreshing water of life and when I fall, He picks me up forgives me.

You know my son Shawn was just told by someone this week that if he sins repeatedly many times, God will never forgive him, he got a shock and then he said no, that's not true. The other person said “No, you're talking nonsense”. And then Shawn told me about it and I shared with him, “Shawn, you're right, even if you sin repeatedly over and over and over and over again, the grace of God is greater than all our sins, I'm glad you know it, but on the other hand, the other person is not quite wrong because if you sin over and over and over again happily unrepentantly it might show that you never really believe in Jesus in the first place so I hope you understand that, Shawn.”  But if you're true believer, you may stumble, but you will utterly fall and the grace of Jesus cleanses us so feast at the gospel. Why I can continue in my journey of faith is because I know He is my help, He will never leave me nor forsake me, He's always praying for me. Why I know I can continue on this journey is because I know there is forgiveness that flows from Calvary's cross, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and lastly, I say, you can continue on this course because you are looking to the future that is to come.

You know the marathon, as we always have this example is a difficult race, but for those who run it well, they're looking at a price at the end of it, that motivates them and the Bible tells us, we can go with Jesus in suffering and shame and loss and alienation because we seek a city that is to come. That's why I don't have to build my empire in this world in Singapore. That's why, even if you are not rich, well to do, comfortable, that's fine. If that's what God calls me to, because I understand, present sufferings, future glory. You know this is what kept Abraham going right?  This is what kept Moses going right?  The Bible says he was willing to suffer the reproach of Christ that they enjoyed the pleasures of sin in Egypt. Why, because he's he had high and regard to the reward that is to come. Some of you are thinking of throwing in the towel, because you have lost sight of the promise of glory that is before you. So come to the gospel realize that in the gospel, Jesus is for you, unshakably so, come to the gospel, Jesus cleanses you, come to the gospel because there's a glorious future promised in it for you.

As I was preparing this message I would say this is a tough message for me, but I was, I was glad that I came across this little picture that summarize this sermon. Interestingly the picture has nothing to do with Hebrews 13 it was about Pastor John Piper preaching in 1st Peter but what he said in that sermon is absolutely spot on for Hebrews 13 and it goes like this….. “Life is hard, God is good, Glory is coming. Therefore, stand firm in His grace. And I say to you, life is hard. If you're following Jesus, you will suffer persecution, your friends may laugh at you, people may say you are such an obstinate bigot.  You will go through hardships and pains trials fiery trials, don't be surprised life is hard especially for the follower of Jesus, but may there be never any doubt, God is good all the time, and folks, Glory is coming, it is coming. Your cancer treatment takes three years, your family situation is messy for 20 years, well Glory is coming, therefore, stand firm in His grace, his help for you, His cleansing for you, cling on to Jesus because He'll never let you go.

Let's bow for a word of prayer together.  I can't say that this message is a fun message to preach, because it's not in any way, lighthearted, but then again, it is an absolutely needful message, because I think like Ee Kwang, like many of us, you might come to this point of your life where you say do I throw in the towel or not, do I give up on Jesus. Will he still accept me and why am I going all these things for, going though all these things for. There's nothing more important than that we will be faithful to the finish. My friend as I've said, the Christian life is not a tour trip to some fanciful place. It is going upon the path to Golgotha.  The road of Calvary is a road of suffering and shame but Jesus said, follow me, Jesus promises, he would never leave you nor forsake you. You can confidently say, He is my helper you can have your heart established with grace, the altar of sacrifice Jesus went to, He say come feast upon this altar, eat drink remind yourself of the riches of the gospel that I've left for you. Keep your eyes on the glory that is to come.  All the way your Savior would lead you, will you follow Him.

Some of us this morning need to have greater confidence in the promises of God that we are kept by the power of God unto salvation ready to be reviewed.  We need confidence in God that no one is strong enough to pluck us from the Father's hand.  We need to have confidence in God that nothing will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  We must have confidence in God that He prays and He ever lives to pray for us and then my friends, no matter what sin you are living in today, you're never too far from coming back to your Father's house.  There is no sin too great that his blood cannot forgive and washed so don't run from God, run to God today.  Let your heart be bathed and strengthened and established by grace and you who are looking to this world to satisfy you, ask God for mercy, that you will not be deceived by the illusions around, the real joy, the real city that you're looking forward to is the next one that is coming up, fix your gaze for the glory and joy that is to come.

Maybe some of you today are here for the first time and you ask, what is Christianity all about?  It's about this grace of God isn't it?  That Jesus died to save me from my sins. I need to believe Him so maybe this morning it's a choice that you can make to turn from your sin and to believe in Christ alone for salvation and life.

So Father this morning we are thankful for your word, tough truths but I pray by your Spirit, you would call the wayward back to yourself.  You would establish the hearts of those who are struggling today, you'll encourage our souls, as we realize you're ever faithful help and your presence, and perhaps, for those who are here for the first time, or for those who have not really known Jesus, by your Spirit you'll give them new birth, you give them new life that they'll turn from sin and follow your Son.  Bless each one, we rejoice in you. We thank you for the marvelous gospel of Jesus Christ.  To God be the Glory. We pray this in Jesus Name, amen.


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